Facts, statistics and trivia for Ultravasan 2017

On Saturday August 19 the running world elite and thousands of recreational athletes will come together in the Vasaloppet Arena. Here we offer facts, statistics and trivia for the fourth Ultravasan, the 27th Vasastafetten, and the very first Vasakvartetten. Runners from 28 nations are registered. Over 100 participants also have the chance to complete a Vasaloppstrippeln in 2017.

These four races, with a total of ten classes (of which eight are competition classes), will run on Saturday, August 19:

Ultravasan's two races:
- Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start in Sälen at 05:00.
Ultravasan 90 km starts, like the traditional Vasaloppet, in Sälen, following the track east towards Mora. Two classes: Women and Men.
- Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start in Oxberg at 09.00.
This 45 km race starts in Oxberg and largely follows the course of Halvvasan along the Oxberg lake over to Vasslan before joining the Ultravasan 90 track. Two classes: Women and Men.

The two relay races:
- Vasakvartetten. This year's newcomer! Running relay for four-person teams. Start in Sälen at 07:00.
90 km from Sälen to Mora divided into sections of 23.5, 23.2, 24.2 and 19.1 km.
(Vasakvartetten has three classes: Women, Men and Leisure. In the Women and Men classes you compete for prize money. Men = Women are allowed. Women = Only women. Leisure = Any mix of women and men allowed. In the Leisure class it is permitted to run several sections per person.

- Vasastafetten. Running relay for ten-person teams. Start in Sälen at 09.00.
90 km from Sälen to Mora divided into ten sections of 4.5–15 km. (Vasastafetten has three classes: Women, Men and Leisure. In the Women and Men classes you compete for prize money. Men = Women are allowed. Women = Only women. Leisure = Any mix of women and men allowed. In the Leisure class it is permitted to run several sections per person, which is new for Vasastafetten this year.)

Ultravasan 90, Vasakvartetten and Vasastafetten are run on the following surfaces: 60 km of forest road/Vasaloppet track, 6 km gravel, 18 km forest path and 6 km asphalt. The track incline is 867 metres. More information on sections and surfaces:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/races/running-races/vasastafetten/how-the-race-works/during-the-race/sections

Track changes
This year introduces a new route intended to enhance the running experience. The section in question is about 3 kilometres between Krångåsen and Eldris which previously ran on a ten-metre-wide forest road. Now the track instead runs on a thinner forest road consisting of a lot of sand. This new route carries historical weight, because this is where the original Vasaloppet ran as early as 1922. The route changed after that but was moved back here between 1935 and 1988. This new route will not alter the total distance nor the track incline of the race.
Watch a film about the new 2017 route:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqC-aHlA6pI

Registrants Monday 2017-08-14
Ultravasan 90: 961 (753 men and 208 women) from 23 nations, aged 18–75.
Ultravasan 45: 664 (358 men and 306 women) from 17 nations, aged 18–69.
Vasastafetten: 4,200 runners in 420 teams (61 Men teams, 35 Women teams, 324 Leisure teams).
Vasakvartetten: 656 runners in 164 teams (65 Men teams, 28 Women teams, 71 Leisure teams)

NOTE! The teams (meaning the team leader) in Vasastafetten and Vasakvartetten should fill in their team line-up on "My Pages" at vasaloppet.se, and it is possible to make changes up until the start of the race.

For media: Which runners are participating?
Start lists: http://media.vasaloppet.se/2017/?lang=EN_CAP
Username: vasa
Password: media

Ultravasan 90
Elite ladies of note
The female winner of the two previous Ultravasan 90, Jasmin Nunige from Switzerland, injured her foot during the Swiss Alpine ultra race in June and had to cancel her Ultravasan participation. But many other strong running profiles can be found in the women's class:

Sarah Bard, USA
Sarah came second when she ran Ultravasan for the first time last year. She was fourth in the 100 km World Championship in 2015 and fourth in Comrades Marathon 2016. This year she was sixth in Comrades.

Ida Nilsson, Sweden
This former multiple Swedish champion of 3000 metre steeplechase, and 5000 metre running, was second in Ultravasan 2015 as a newcomer to ultra running. In 2016 she made her international breakthrough by winning Transvulcania Ultramarathon on the Canary Islands (73 km). She would have run Ultravasan 45 in 2016 but a cold got in the way. This May she defended her Transvulcania title with another win and in July she won Swiss Alpine. She also won KIA Fjällmarathon at the start of August, so her form is obviously excellent. Has won everything but Chamonix Marathon this year and a big favourite to win. Competed this winter in the ski mountaineering World Championships!

Jo Meek, UK
”The Running Squirrel” came fifth in Comrades 2014 and fourth in the 100 km World Championship 2014, and would have run Ultravasan 2015 but an injury spoiled most of that year. A strong comeback followed in 2016 with, among other things, second place in CCC Courmayeur–Champex–Chamonix (101 km) after Swedish Mimmi Kotka. Came 17th at the Trail World Championships in

Tuscany this Summer – and this will be Jo Meek's first Ultravasan, a race that could suit her perfectly.

Traci Falbo, USA
Traci has specialized in races longer than 100 km and has achieved great success, including the 48-hour indoor running world record. She was part of USA's bronze-winning team at the 100 km World Championship in Spain, 2016. This July she ran the 24-hour running World Championship in Belfast, representing the US. The race had timing issues and Falbo also had some problems during the race. Team USA initially won but have since been moved down to second place due to the timekeeping issues.

Frida Södermark, Sweden
Sixth place in Ultravasan 2014. A long line of merits from Comrades and the Swedish, European and World Championships these past years. Might not win, but a strong challenger coming up.

Elite men:
Last year's winner, Jarle Risa, won't be starting this year due to limited preparation possibilities. On the other hand Jonas Buud, who won Ultravasan 2014 and 2015, is back after last year's injury. Jonas is of course hoping to get a third victory. But as usual there are many challengers from the world elite this year.

Fritjof Fagerlund, Sweden.
Second in last year's Ultravasan. Came 14th in Comrades 2016 and 10th (second best European) in 2017, and has placed 10th, 6th and 14th at the 100 km World Championship these past three years.

Patrick Reagan, USA.
Pat followed up his third place in Ultravasan 2016 by also placing third in the 100 km World Championship. Came 12th in this year's Comrades.

Jonas Buud, Sweden
Winner of Ultravasan the first two years; had to break off his race in 2016 due to injury. Guaranteed to be eager for a comeback in 2017! Jonas, who was second in Comrades 2013 and won the 100 km World Championship in 2015, chose not to compete in Comrades this year after getting a place in the prestigious Western States (161 km) between Squaw Valley and Auburn in California. It was a race with very tough conditions this year and Jonas came 12th. Won Tällberg half marathon two weeks ago, ahead of Roman Ryapolov, so he seems in good shape.

Giorgio Calcaterra, Italy
Three-fold 100 km world champion – 2008, 2011 and 2012 – and also third in both 2009 and 2015. Last year, Giorgio won the worldwide Wings for Life World Run which runs in a number of locations at the same time. He set a new world record in the competition. This year he came fourth in the same race. Has also won the 100 km del Passatore in Florence this year.

Ranno Erala, Estonia
Eighth in Ultravasan 2015 and sixth 2016. 17th in the 100 km World Championship 2016.

Elov Olsson, Sweden
Eighth in Ultravasan in both 2014 and 2016. 11th and best Swede at the 2016 World Championships. The international breakthrough was confirmed this February when Elov came second in Black Canyon Trail 100 km Run in Arizona. Ran Western States this summer, just like Jonas Buud, and came in 13th place. Neither of them were really satisfied with their results.

Eric Senseman, USA
Third at Black Canyon Trail 100 km Run 2017.

Henri Ansio, Finland
16th at the 100 km World Championship 2016. This June he also came fourth at the Trail World Championships in Tuscany. His terrain running skills are at 100 %.

Bartosz Olsziewski, Poland
Global second place this year in Wings for Life World Run, 88 km, impressing and proving his mettle. How will the transition to terrain running go?

Ultravasan 45
In the 2017 start list for Ultravasan 45 we find eight of the top ten men from 2016 and four of the top six women from 2016. Roman Ryapolov has won Ultravasan 45 two times, in 2014 and 2016. He also came second in 2015, and is a favourite to win this year. Last year's female winner Lisa Ring ran the marathon distance at the IAAF World Championships in London last weekend and has now decided to give Ultravasan 45 a shot this year as well.

Number bibs for the ten classes
Ultravasan 90 – Orange number bib, W = Women, M = Men, Asics (the race's host) + course profile.
Number series: Men nr 1001–2299. Women nr 3001–3299.

Ultravasan 45 – Blue number bib, M = Men, W = Women, Asics (the race's host) + course profile.
Number series: Men nr 4001–4999. Women nr 5001–5499.

Vasastafetten Asics
– Yellow colour D = Women. Number series: 1–99.
– Green colour H = Men. Number series: 100–199.
– Blue colour M = Leisure class. Number series: 200–599.

Vasakvartetten Asics
– Red colour D = Women. Number series: 600–659.
– Purple colour H = Men. Number series: 660–799.
– Orange colour M = Leisure class. Number series: 800–999.

TV, live streaming
Now you can follow all running races live as Vasalopps-TV broadcasts via Vasaloppet's Facebook page on Saturday, August 19 from 08:00 to about 15:00. Get live reports from the course, the checkpoints and the finish and watch the elite battle to reach the finish line first.
https://www.facebook.com/vasaloppetofficial
All finishes can also be seen live at www.vasaloppet.se

Estimated finish
Those who want to see the first runners finish should be in place no later than 10:40 on Saturday morning. The finish line closes at 20:00.

Previous Ultravasan winners
Ultravasan 90, men
2014 Jonas Buud, IFK Mora FK (SWE), 6.02.03
2015 Jonas Buud, IFK Mora FK (SWE), 5.45.08 (Record time)
2016 Jarle Risa, Undheim IL (NOR) 6.11.49

Ultravasan 90, women
2014 Holly Rush, Team Bath AC (GBR), 7.09.04
2015 Jasmin Nunige, Switzerland (SUI), 7.02.35
2016 Jasmin Nunige, Track Club Davos (SUI) 6.54.32 (Record time)

The Vasaloppstrippeln is growing
Vasaloppstrippeln is the offical name of a Vasaloppet challenge completed during a calendar year. 2014 was the first year it was possible; completing Vasaloppet/Öppet Spår (skis), Cykelvasan 90/Cykelvasan Öppet Spår (bike) and Ultravasan 90 (running), all in one calendar year. In 2017 there are 123 people, 25 of whom are women, who have completed the skiing and cycling and who are also registered for Ultravasan 90.

After the races, at the Vasaloppet finish line in Mora
14:30: Awards ceremony for Ultravasan 45
16:30: Awards ceremonies for Vasastafetten and Vasakvartetten
17:00–20:00: After Run, Live music on stage
About 20:15: Awards ceremony for Ultravasan 90

The story of Ultravasan
Read about the history and origin of the race:
http://www.vasaloppet.se/en/news/the-story-of-ultravasan

Registration for Vasaloppet's Summer Week 2018
Opens on Sunday September 10, 2017 at 09:00 on vasaloppet.se

Events in the Vasaloppet Arena

Vasaloppet Summer Week 2017
Fri 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 30. 32 km. Start Oxberg 09:10
Fri 11 Aug: Ungdomscykelvasan. 32 km. Start Oxberg 09:00
Fri 11 Aug: Cykelvasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg 11:15
Fri 11 Aug: Cykelvasan Öppet Spår. 94 km. Start Sälen 11:30
Fri 11 Aug: Cykelvasasprinten. 1 km. Lindvallen. Start Sälen 15.00
Sat 12 Aug: Cykelvasan 90. 94 km. Start Sälen, ladies at 07:30, men 08:15 (FULL 170427)
Sat 19 Aug: Ultravasan 45. 45 km. Start Oxberg 09:00
Sat 19 Aug: Ultravasan 90. 90 km. Start Sälen 05:00
Sat 19 Aug: Vasastafetten. 4.5–15 km. Running relay for ten-person teams. Start Sälen 09:00
Sat 19 Aug: Vasakvartetten. 19.1–24.2 km. Running relay for four-person teams. Start Sälen 07:00

Vasaloppet Winter Week 2018
Fri 23 Feb: Kortvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sat 24 Feb: Tjejvasan. 30 km. Start Oxberg.
Sun 25 Feb: Ungdomsvasan.
Sun 25 Feb: Öppet Spår Sunday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Mon 26 Feb: Öppet Spår Monday. 90 km. Start Sälen.
Tue 27 Feb: Halvvasan. 45 km. Start Oxberg.
Fri 2 Mar: Stafettvasan. 9–24 km. Five-person teams. Start Sälen.
Fri 2 Mar: Nattvasan. 90 km. Two-person teams. Start Sälen. (FULL 170319)
Sat 3 Mar: Blåbärsloppet. 9 km. Start Eldris.
Sun 4 Mar: Vasaloppet. 90 km. Start Sälen. (FULL 170319)

High-resolution photos from Vasaloppet
http://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/pressroom/vasaloppet/image/list

Text and photos may be freely published.

For more information

Camilla Sandy, Communicator and Press Manager
+46(0)70-384 95 00
camilla.sandy@vasaloppet.se

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